Thursday, July 13, 2017

Summer is
finally upon us. It is time to spend time outside and enjoy the weather.However, during these fun times please
remember our four legged friends.Just
like us, pets are susceptible to heat. Here are some tips keep your pet safe.

1. Water. Always have fresh water available for
your pet. It sounds simple but dehydration and other issues such as heat
stroke can occur fast on hot days and can lead to many problems. Setting up a
kid’s pool in the yard or a sprinkler is a great way for dogs to keep cool.

2.Walking. Our pet’s feet are sensitive.Touch your hand to the pavement; if it is too
hot for your hand then it is too hot for a walk. Try to avoid asphalt and walk
on the grass. Best times for a walk are
early in the morning or later in the evening when temperatures are down.

3.The Car.
Never leave your pet unattended in a vehicle. It does not matter if you
are gone for a few minutes or park in the shade. Dogs overheat easily, their
normal body temperature ranges from 100-102.5. The slightest increase in
temperature can cause many problems such as heat stroke, seizures, brain
damage, or death.

4.Breeds. Some dogs are more prone to heat than
others. Specific breeds are the brachycephalic dogs (short noses) like pugs and
bulldogs. It is harder for them to intake oxygen due to the facial structuring.
Also dogs who have heart disease or are overweight have a harder time in the
heat. Take extreme caution with them and limit exercise.

5. Cooling.
Make sure to keep your pet cool inside and outside. A cool area with shade is a
must both inside and outside. If your pet has long hair, consider a haircut. Try making some doggy popsicles (see recipe
below) they are cooling and delicious.

How to make
peanut butter popsicles

Ingredients

1 cup peanut
butter, preferably unsalted and unsweetened (Check your peanut butter's label
to make sure it doesn't contain any kind of xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.)

Half of a
ripe banana, mashed

Water as
needed

In a small
mixing bowl, combine peanut butter with a little water or half of a mashed
banana. (The water and banana aren't essential, but they help with freezing
consistency.)

Line a cookie
sheet with waxed paper, or use Kong-style rubber toys that have a cavity you
can fill.

Spoon the
mixture onto the tray just like you would cookie dough, or stuff it into the
toys. Freeze the tray or toys for several hours or overnight. If you need to
reuse the tray right away, pop out the cubes and store them in a bag or
container in the freezer.

Watch
for signs of overheating. Contact your Veterinarian if you see these signs:

-Trouble breathing

-Dark red gums or tongue

-Disorientation/Dizziness

- Heavy panting/Drooling

Follow these basic tips to help your pet keep cool and enjoy
the summer.

Click on the link below for more information about the dangers of pets in hot cars My Dog is Cool

Monday, June 19, 2017

There are so many
happy and lovable pets that are up for adoption all around the country.This month, The American Humane Association
and ASPCA are celebrating national "Adopt-A-Cat Month". Right now
there are hundreds of thousands of adoptable cats waiting for their forever
home. Based on a study done by ASPCA in 2011, it was determined that
approximately 3.2 million cats are put into shelters annually¹. Just like dogs,
cats can provide unconditional love and a lifetime of companionship. While they
can be a big commitment and carry many responsibilities with them, they are not
as intensively involved in most cases as dogs. Nothing can replace the
friendship that can be made with an adopted pet.

Many people may
be wondering if a cat is a good fit for their lifestyle. Whether you're a “cat”
person or not, having a feline friend can be a very rewarding experience. Here
are some things you may want to think about before adopting a pet, provided by
the American Humane Association²:

Cats might be a good fit for you if you don’t
mind...

●Having your ankles rubbed with affection when you
get home.

●Spending some of your free time playing with your
furry friend.

●Picking up some of your kitties messes every now
and then.

●Getting your lap warmed whenever you sit down.

●Using some of your hard earned money to keep them
happy and healthy.

●Being entertained randomly with their silly
antics!

●Giving your best effort to provide a loving home
which will be much appreciated!

A year ago a
friend of mine had a small litter of two kittens born on his farm. The mother
took care of her babies well but we knew these kittens needed to find a home.
While we could have brought them to a shelter we fell in love with this brother
and sister duo and brought them home with us. Their personalities and habits
have become a part of my home life and I couldn't imagine what it would be like
without their love and companionship!

If you are
looking to adopt I urge you to consider elderly pets. There are so many animals
looking for a loving home where they can enjoy their remaining years. Kittens
and puppies are adopted more easily for obvious reasons but you may find that
rescuing an older pet or pets with illnesses may be even more rewarding in the
end.

So, if you are reading
this and on-the-fence if cats would be good for you or not, go to the shelter
and meet some furry friends they have there, you might fall in love with one!

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Imagine,
if you will, about 1,000 people are bit by a dog in the United States each and
every day.That amounts to over 350,000
people every year.Of those, over 9,500
are hospitalized due to the serious nature of their injuries.And, there are several people that will die
from those injuries.Of course, not all dog bites are preventable;
however, with a little knowledge of dog behavior, dog owners can make a
significant difference in their pet’s behavior to make them less likely to bite
a human.

Dog bites
occur for many different reasons.It’s
not always due to true dominant aggressive dogs.Dogs will bite most often out of fear, but dogs
also bite a human to defend themselves or their territory, to guard a valuable
resource like food or a toy, or because they feel threatened.

The
biggest mistake made by humans while training their dogs is to humanize
them.This means we treat them like they
are human and part of the family.For
many dogs that will not be a problem.However, we can, unknowingly, create separation anxiety, aggressive
behavior and other behavior issues.A
dog sees us as a pack.All members of
the household need to be more dominant than their dog.Then their pet will respect them and not feel
the need to overstep their bounds.In
other words, your pet will bite a person to send the message that the person is
acting inappropriately when they feel they are higher on the totem pole than
their housemate.How do we train our
puppies to be subordinate to all house members?That is the big question that has many answers with many books written
on this subject.This blog is not
intended to teach you all there is to know about training dogs.I do want you to understand that your dog
will respond to you if you treat them like a dog and be in charge.When you give them commands (like sit) firmly
TELL them to sit.Do NOT ASK them to sit.As humans, we like to be polite.Remember, they are not humans.In addition, ideally your dog is not allowed
on furniture which includes beds.Yes, I
said it.I know that one of the reasons
we get a pet is to cuddle, snuggle, and sleep with them often.This puts them on your level literally and
makes them feel equal to you and in some cases better than you.This can promote aggression in some dogs with
that aggressive tendency.Also, it is
ideal to give nothing to your dog for free.That means any attention, treats and food should not be given unless
your dog does something for it like sit or lay down.If you do these things (command your dog,
keep them off furniture and give nothing for free) you are well on your way to
having a well- behaved dog that will have a much less tendency to bite.

Fear
biting dogs are a different story.They
often need professional help and antianxiety medication to help them be less
fearful; and, therefore less likely to bite. The important thing about fear aggressive
dogs is to recognize it and don’t make
excuses for the dog.Get professional help when you recognize there
is an issue, or at least contact a professional if you aren’t sure.

Dog bites
will always be an issue so long as we choose to live our lives intertwined with
a dog’s life.Dogs provide us so much
joy and fond memories, and through research we know that they give us many
health benefits as well.So, we need to
figure out how to have a dog in our homes that we can trust.I encourage anyone with a dog to seek
information about how to train your dog, and to especially seek a professional
at any signs of aggression.Do not wait and do not make excuses for the
dog’s behavior!!